The hills are alive as mountaineering club prepares to celebrate 70th anniversary
Those hills are alive with the sound of feet once more as members of a mountaineering club prepare to celebrate its 70th anniversary and return to running monthly coach trips to reach far away peaks.
West Bromwich Mountaineering Club kept going during the Covid-19 pandemic when restrictions allowed, but members were forced to travel to meet-ups in their cars.
Now they are back to enjoying the more sociable and cheaper way of travelling together by coach to reach the hills.
Former chairman John Edwards, aged 75, joined in 1984 and is now keen to recruit new members to the club which meets regularly on the second and third Thursday of the month at The Red Lion pub in West Bromwich, from about 7.30pm.
He said: "We travel out on the second Sunday of each month and unlike many other clubs are involved in climbing, hill-walking and winter mountaineering.
"Our activities are so diverse and we are always looking to welcome new members, particularly as we plan to celebrate our 70th anniversary this year with a special dinner on July 23 in Great Barr.
"We travel by coach to destinations which makes it easier and cheaper for members to reach the Lake District, North Wales, Yorkshire and places like the Brecon Beacons.
"At the moment we have about 200 members from across the West Midlands and even some as far away as Sheffield.
"The coach meets are much more sociable, work out cheaper and enable people to have a beer or two if they get down from the tops in time.
"However, the real advantage is the possibility to do linear walks where members are dropped off and choose any route they like across the hills and valleys to meet up at designated pick-points.
"People need to be self-sufficient and good navigators but for those who are not confident in their map-reading ability there are always walks which are led by those who are experienced.
"Amazingly our membership held up despite the Covid-19 pandemic but like many other clubs the average age is increasing and we would particularly like to attract more young people.
"We are a community association sports club which means we have an all-inclusive policy and welcome anyone interested in taking part.
"Our club is recognised for the variety of activities it offers and on our 50th anniversary we produced a book about the club, and Chris Bonington, whose career included 19 expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest, wrote the foreword, and a copy and other archives can be found in Sandwell Public Library."
Mr Edwards, who climbed Lhakpa Ri, north east of Everest, in Tibet in 2006, which has a peak that is 7,000 feet above sea level, added: "Anyone interested in joining the club is welcome to come along to the meetings at The Red Lion pub on All Saints Way, West Bromwich, to learn more about what we have to offer or they can contact secretary@wbms.or for details of events."
